Pope Leo XIV continued his pastoral visits throughout the Diocese of Rome with a stop on March 1 at the Ascension of the Lord Parish in Quarticciolo, a suburban neighborhood in the eastern part of the city. As the Bishop of Rome, he came with the hopes of strengthening a community facing real challenges with the light of the Gospel.

Welcomed by Cardinal Baldo Reina, the Pope began his afternoon among the parish children gathered in the oratory courtyard. With fatherly concern, he spoke about the renewed violence in the Middle East and reminded them that God desires peace for every people. Christians, he said, must pray earnestly for peace, live in unity, and reject every form of violence. Violence is never a true solution, but a wound that deepens suffering.

Turning to the daily realities of Quarticciolo, the Pope addressed problems closer to home. He encouraged the young people to respect one another and to reject drugs firmly and decisively, acknowledging the harm that addiction has brought to the neighborhood. His words were direct, yet hopeful, placing responsibility in the hands of the next generation.

The Holy Father also spent time with elderly and sick parishioners, reminding them that their presence is a gift to the community. In a culture that can overlook the vulnerable, he emphasized that true strength is discovered together. The love of God binds people into a family and gives them the courage to persevere. He urged collaboration with civil authorities to confront criminal activity and to work patiently for renewal.

During Mass, Pope Leo reflected on Abraham’s journey of trust and on the Transfiguration of the Lord. The Christian life, he explained, is a path that requires confidence in God’s promises, even amid uncertainty. What may feel like instability can become the place where God reveals unexpected greatness. The disciples struggled to accept Christ’s road to Jerusalem and the Cross, yet it was precisely through self-gift that salvation came. To live in order to give life, the Pope said, is the greatest treasure.

Applying these truths to Quarticciolo, he invited parishioners to look upon their neighborhood with faith. The presence of evil and hardship must not lead to resignation. Christians are called to bind wounds through concrete acts of goodness and justice. The parish, he said, can become a leaven within the community, quietly transforming its surroundings from within.